Advice On Cabin Floor Material

[midexp]

Having been greatly inspired by Gallf1 in his cabin floor replacement, I am biting the bullet and ripping out my 21 year old cabin carpet to replace it with something different. Having installed Lament flooring in my "nice square wall" condo, I'm struggling to see how to do it in the cabin with all the curved floor profiles. So I am thinking about a flexible vinyl flooring that I can make a template and use a razor cutter to shape all the curves. That said, I found a product online called Teak and Holly Light Striped Vinyl from Discount Marine Flooring. Has anyone had experience with this product? The material cost to replace my cabin floor is about $600. I'm guessing I would pay >$3K to have this done outside?

https://discountmarineflooring.com/...-vinyl-marine-flooring?variant=35635631194272

 

[Juliery]

Putting that down will require very accurate templating, especially if going over contours. Errors will be a disaster. Gluing it in place could be a nightmare.
I'm using a luxury, narrow vinyl plank. It's much easier to handle and fit. Minor errors can be easily and cheaply corrected. Heating it up gently with a heat gun helps it conform to contours. Gluing it in a piece at a time is easy. And It's less expensive. We did one 4 years ago and it was awesome.

 

[Ricochet]

Having been greatly inspired by Gallf1 in his cabin floor replacement, I am biting the bullet and ripping out my 21 year old cabin carpet to replace it with something different. Having installed Lament flooring in my "nice square wall" condo, I'm struggling to see how to do it in the cabin with all the curved floor profiles. So I am thinking about a flexible vinyl flooring that I can make a template and use a razor cutter to shape all the curves. That said, I found a product online called Teak and Holly Light Striped Vinyl from Discount Marine Flooring. Has anyone had experience with this product? The material cost to replace my cabin floor is about $600. I'm guessing I would pay >$3K to have this done outside?

https://discountmarineflooring.com/...-vinyl-marine-flooring?variant=35635631194272

I used cherry and holly Nautic Floor planking that I purchased from Plasteak. I cut it all the curves and angles with a razor knife. I used flexible 1/4 round which I stained to match. It takes some time but not hard to install. I glued it over existing floor after I removed the carpet. I did not need to add any sub flooring. I think using a large sheet would be very difficult with no room for error.
Rick

 

[rmlsll]

I used vinyl plank, If I did it again I would put down a sub floor first

instead of trying to level.

 

[Stee6043]

Putting that down will require very accurate templating, especially if going over contours. Errors will be a disaster. Gluing it in place could be a nightmare.
I'm using a luxury, narrow vinyl plank. It's much easier to handle and fit. Minor errors can be easily and cheaply corrected. Heating it up gently with a heat gun helps it conform to contours. Gluing it in a piece at a time is easy. And It's less expensive. We did one 4 years ago and it was awesome.

The nice part about these marine vinyls is that you can perfect the template and be 99.9% done with the hard part before you start working with the real material, unlike plank flooring. Following a penned line with a pair of scissors is almost fool-proof.

OP - Keep in mind you'll probably want to bind the edges after you cut it to size. Something a local sewing shop could probably do for cheap...

I've had good luck with both of these companies for these kinds of materials, for what it's worth.
www.rochfordsupply.com
www.sailrite.com

 

[midexp]

Thanks for the great feedback.

Juliery, rmisll, what type of vinyl plank did you use (manufacture?). Was it flexible or the 8 mm think stuff? The flexible material I have seen is like 1/16" thick and can be cut with a razor knife. I don't really want to work with 8 mm thick material (i.e. lament) as it too difficult to make smooth curved cuts. And I also worry about using one large piece like in my link as it would be very difficult to fit exactly.

Ricocchet, where did you get the flexible quarter round?

Stee6043, I'm trying to no go the cloth route (i.e. Infinity). I think the wood/vinyl material looks nicer. Plus most of the cloth suppliers want to measure my cabin and install it and I'm getting prices like $2 grand.

 

[Stee6043]

Thanks for the great feedback.

Juliery, rmisll, what type of vinyl plank did you use (manufacture?). Was it flexible or the 8 mm think stuff? The flexible material I have seen is like 1/16" thick and can be cut with a razor knife. I don't really want to work with 8 mm thick material (i.e. lament) as it too difficult to make smooth curved cuts. And I also worry about using one large piece like in my link as it would be very difficult to fit exactly.

Ricocchet, where did you get the flexible quarter round?

Stee6043, I'm trying to no go the cloth route (i.e. Infinity). I think the wood/vinyl material looks nicer. Plus most of the cloth suppliers want to measure my cabin and install it and I'm getting prices like $2 grand.

I think what you linked up there is exactly like Infinity (a vinyl product)??

 

[Blueone]

@midexp .... I went thru this last year. I had a shoe box full of samples from all kinds of manufacturers. Once we took them to the boat...what we thought we liked was awful up against the cabinets.. in the end we didn’t like anything....I got busy at work and we said the hell with it and thru everything out.. This year we are trying again... here is where we are now on samples so far ..next is to take them to the boat and choose...

In the end I don’t think what form the flooring comes in is as important as the look of the floor ....when you find it then figure out how to make it work.

 

[midexp]

I think what you linked up there is exactly like Infinity (a vinyl product)??

No the teak and holly in the link is not a woven material like Infinity. I guess you would call it a molded material.

 

[Juliery]

The nice part about these marine vinyls is that you can perfect the template and be 99.9% done with the hard part before you start working with the real material, unlike plank flooring. Following a penned line with a pair of scissors is almost fool-proof.

If you attempt it, real life, it's not easy. Templating accurately is hard. Templating contours is really hard to do. You lay it out flat to cut it and the actual contours disappear. So you get the piece cut accurately (or not - now it's garbage) and get it into the boat with no damage. Lay it out with you in the middle so it's positioned exactly right. Now roll up one edge to start to glue it down. Don't move it! Get that side down and don't get any ripples or bubbles. Now roll up the other side. Spread glue. Don't make a mess. Lay the second side down. Make sure it's fully bonded. No wrinkles, ripples or bubbles. While you are doing all of this it moved. Start over. It sounds easy?

 

[wyrman]

@midexp .... I went thru this last year. I had a shoe box full of samples from all kinds of manufacturers. Once we took them to the boat...what we thought we liked was awful up against the cabinets.. in the end we didn’t like anything....I got busy at work and we said the hell with it and thru everything out.. This year we are trying again... here is where we are now on samples so far ..next is to take them to the boat and choose...

In the end I don’t think what form the flooring comes in is as important as the look of the floor ....when you find it then figure out how to make it work.

View attachment 96494

I put Lonseal Teak and Holly on my cabin steps. It looks really good, but pretty slick with wet feet. I have slipped once or twice while going down the steps.

 

[Ricochet]

Thanks for the great feedback.

Juliery, rmisll, what type of vinyl plank did you use (manufacture?). Was it flexible or the 8 mm think stuff? The flexible material I have seen is like 1/16" thick and can be cut with a razor knife. I don't really want to work with 8 mm thick material (i.e. lament) as it too difficult to make smooth curved cuts. And I also worry about using one large piece like in my link as it would be very difficult to fit exactly.

Ricocchet, where did you get the flexible quarter round?

Stee6043, I'm trying to no go the cloth route (i.e. Infinity). I think the wood/vinyl material looks nicer. Plus most of the cloth suppliers want to measure my cabin and install it and I'm getting prices like $2 grand.

I bought the flexible molding on Amazon from “flexible molding concepts” I installed it with a air brad nailer.
Rick

 

[rmlsll]

Thanks for the great feedback.

Juliery, rmisll, what type of vinyl plank did you use (manufacture?). Was it flexible or the 8 mm think stuff? The flexible material I have seen is like 1/16" thick and can be cut with a razor knife. I don't really want to work with 8 mm thick material (i.e. lament) as it too difficult to make smooth curved cuts. And I also worry about using one large piece like in my link as it would be very difficult to fit exactly.

Ricocchet, where did you get the flexible quarter round?

Stee6043, I'm trying to no go the cloth route (i.e. Infinity). I think the wood/vinyl material looks nicer. Plus most of the cloth suppliers want to measure my cabin and install it and I'm getting prices like $2 grand.

i used

Cabin Wood Floor Karndean Floors Van Goegh Merbau VGW41T DS01 Vanilla -trim

 

[Saverio]

I bought the flexible molding on Amazon from “flexible molding concepts” I installed it with a air brad nailer.
Rick

where did u get the molding for hatches?
Looks awesome

 

[Ricochet]

where did u get the molding for hatches?
Looks awesome

Thanks...I bought the molding from jonnycorners.com, it is easy to install they will send color samples. I very happy with the way it looks and functions.

Rick

 

[370Dancer]

Ditto on Jonnycorners! Flex vinyl from flexiblemillwork for the step down, stained with oak gel stain.
I made my template from the removed carpet, and then built the floor outside of the boat. Cut it into 3 pieces, and laid it down. No glue.Easy enough to pull a piece with a heat gun should I ever need to.
My whole story in pictures here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/i10ocn4j9bqftjx/AADXTtGT12fPgo9j1_B2dsC3a?dl=0

 

[Chris-380]

Ditto on Jonnycorners! Flex vinyl from flexiblemillwork for the step down, stained with oak gel stain.
I made my template from the removed carpet, and then built the floor outside of the boat. Cut it into 3 pieces, and laid it down. No glue.Easy enough to pull a piece with a heat gun should I ever need to.
My whole story in pictures here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/i10ocn4j9bqftjx/AADXTtGT12fPgo9j1_B2dsC3a?dl=0

View attachment 96565

great info, thank you!
https://www.flexiblemillwork.com/flexible-moldings

 

[Stee6043]

If you attempt it, real life, it's not easy. Templating accurately is hard. Templating contours is really hard to do. You lay it out flat to cut it and the actual contours disappear. So you get the piece cut accurately (or not - now it's garbage) and get it into the boat with no damage. Lay it out with you in the middle so it's positioned exactly right. Now roll up one edge to start to glue it down. Don't move it! Get that side down and don't get any ripples or bubbles. Now roll up the other side. Spread glue. Don't make a mess. Lay the second side down. Make sure it's fully bonded. No wrinkles, ripples or bubbles. While you are doing all of this it moved. Start over. It sounds easy?

Maybe I've just been lucky with my projects. Exterior EVA, simple rugs, stair covers, etc. If I can do it, anyone can do it...and I didn't say it was easy, I said it was foolproof

 

[Saverio]

Thanks...I bought the molding from jonnycorners.com, it is easy to install they will send color samples. I very happy with the way it looks and functions.

Rick

The stainless moldings??

 

[midexp]

i used

Cabin Wood Floor Karndean Floors Van Goegh Merbau VGW41T DS01 Vanilla -trim

How did you cut it for all the curves in the cabin? Razor knife or did you need a jig saw? Also, website says orders less than 500 sq. feet won't be processes. There's no way I need 500 sq. feet.